Thread: Sacha, Sasha or Sascha?

Which of the three is the most popular spelling in Russia in your opion? And which yould be your preffered way of spelling this name?

I ask because I named my son Sacha Alexander (so yes, he has the same name twice) after a real life Russian soldier. But in the UK Sasha, as it's most often spelled, is considered a girls name.

Thank you.

The most popular spelling in Russia is Саша.

Indeed

By the way, Саша can be either male or female name.
You can call a boy Александр (Саша) and you can call a girl Александра (Саша). Both are quite common in Russia.

There's really no difference. I think it's best to spell it as close to as it sounds. That means Sasha. But Sasha it's a shortening from Alexander, like Robert and Bob are considered the same name too in English, as far as I know.

Your question is a bit incorrect, because when we're speaking about some 'popular spelling' we don't expect the Russians using the latin alphabet.
But when we're speaking about spelling for official purposes, you should use a full name. Any Russian whom his friends call Sasha will be Alexander.
If Sacha Alexander is his official name you should stick to it - use the spelling they used in his birth certificate.

I think Sacha is French spelling (as Alexandre also).
It seems was popular till to the second half of XX century

Now Sacha will be read as Сача by the most of Russians

Always the pedants.

But you are of course right. I have been trying to learn the Russian alphabet since only last night, but I should have realised there is no S, so asking about spelling between C or S is rather a mute point!
But it's certanly helped me remember something I was stuck on so not a futile excercise!

I was already aware that Alexander is the full name to Sacha, but I liked them both as a westerner so seperated them into a first and middle name officially, with the deliberate quirk of basically giving him the same name twice. In the UK it can be an interesting conversation point and few people realise Sacha is a form of Alexander.

I have no intention of changing it either.

Originally Posted by Wowik

I think Sacha is French spelling (as Alexandre also).
It seems was popular till to the second half of XX century

Now Sacha will be read as Сача by the most of Russians

Yep. And Sascha is the german version. Unfortunately, it's pronounced "Zasha". It's a normal German name nowadays but it is not very common.

Originally Posted by Ramil

But Sasha it's a shortening from Alexander

Никогда не понимал, как из Александра получился Саша; должно же получиться Саня? И только сейчас вспомнил, что Петр I называл Меньшикова Алексашкой =)

Originally Posted by Wowik

I think Sacha is French spelling (as Alexandre also).

Yes, I think so too. I read some kinda note written by Pushkin, where he signed his name as Puchkin, the note was written in French.

Originally Posted by kt_81

Originally Posted by Wowik

I think Sacha is French spelling (as Alexandre also).
It seems was popular till to the second half of XX century

Now Sacha will be read as Сача by the most of Russians

Yep. And Sascha is the german version. Unfortunately, it's pronounced "Zasha". It's a normal German name nowadays but it is not very common.

Ahhh thank you. I wondered where that particular spelling came from.

Originally Posted by BappaBa

Никогда не понимал, как из Александра получился Саша; должно же получиться Саня? И только сейчас вспомнил, что Петр I называл Меньшикова Алексашкой =)

Александр-Алексашка-Сашка-Сашурик-Шурик-Шура
Александр-Саня
Александр-Алекс

Алекс could also be Алексей

Не нравится мне эта какая-то вестернизация: Саша — Алекс, Максим — Макс... Отстой какой-то.

Originally Posted by Rtyom

Не нравится мне эта какая-то вестернизация: Саша — Алекс, Максим — Макс... Отстой какой-то.

М-да, еще свежи в памяти времена, когда не было никаких Алексов, а были Алики.
Еще мне неприятно, когда Дмитрии называют себя Дэнами. Это уже клиника, по-моему.

Конечно, клиника. Дэн — это Данила (Дани(и)л). Мы, будучи студентами, так парня называли из параллельной группы.

Я никогда не слышала, чтобы Дмитрии называли себя Дэнами. Только Денисы.

Денисы, Данилы или Дмитрии (Димон->Дэн) - не суть важно. Просто мне не нравится, когда ради выпендрежа коверкают свое имя, чтобы оно походило на иностранное, особенно когда это за уши притянуто.

Хорошо, что у моего имени нет распространённого английского эквивалента.